Neat and compact XGIMI MoGo Pro 1080p portable projector is a real game-changer

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First impressions are always important and I was wowed by a compact, neat, curved-edge unit of white and silver as I opened the box for this XGIMI MoGo Pro 1080p portable projector.

A quick inspection shows just a few basic buttons on the unit itself, but it comes with a functional remote control with which you can navigate the interface, and this remote also has a dedicated button for the Google Voice Assistant. Once you have paired the remote the unit is operable straight away. There are USB and HDMI ports along with a headphone socket and screw hole for mounting on a tripod.

The battery life boasts play time of an entire film, but I found the image was clearer and brighter while plugged into the power source. It is useful to know the extent of the battery life for if you are taking this away from the house, though just make sure it is fully charged first as I had made that mistake.

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I was really impressed at how the autofocus kicked in almost as soon as I turned the projector on. It is really quite clever how it re-adjusted its focus every time I repositioned the unit. I experimented with the projector by mounting it on a tripod and moving it various distances from the wall to see how large the screen could go comfortably and the lens re-focussed each time automatically and accurately. This model is supposed to go to as much as a 300-inch screen, but of course the larger the screen size the less ‘punchy’ the image. I found that indoors, in a fairly dim room, I could project quite a large size and still retain the screen quality, it is 1080p after all. I have never found the need nor space to project to its full 300-inch capacity.

The XGIMI MoGo Pro 1080p portable projector is a compact, neat, curved-edge unit of white and silver. Image XGIMIThe XGIMI MoGo Pro 1080p portable projector is a compact, neat, curved-edge unit of white and silver. Image XGIMI
The XGIMI MoGo Pro 1080p portable projector is a compact, neat, curved-edge unit of white and silver. Image XGIMI

It's ‘powered’ by Android TV, so there are a host of apps you can run from the unit while hooked up to Wifi. So once you have paired the device and logged into the apps you are good to go. The android interface means that if you are an Apple geek like me you do need to set up a Google account for Google Play if you don’t already have one.

Disney+ subscribers can stream films, along with Amazon Prime Video customers, and with YouTube, among other apps, it means you can stream your favourites from this projector. It also has built-in ChromeCast to mirror your android phone. It is a shame the native Netflix app isn’t supported currently, however, there are instructions provided with a helpful guide as a workaround and hopefully future software updates may include this.

If you want to use the portable projector away from any Wifi signal then there is the USB port where you can use a memory stick flash drive to store films that you have downloaded. The unit also has a built-in 12GB of internal storage. I find the USB stick great for presenting a photo slideshow. It is impressive projecting holiday photos for my parents, who have poor eyesight, so they can see the photos without trying to look at my small phone screen. The HDMI port lets you plug in laptops and games consoles too.

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Some of you may be looking to buy a portable projector to take with you to seminars where you can project presentations to an audience. I have used this to present my Google Slides to a group by setting up a projection screen too and it worked really well. The unit itself looks really professional so it is sure to impress.

Indoors, you can project quite a large size and still retain the screen quality. Image XGIMIIndoors, you can project quite a large size and still retain the screen quality. Image XGIMI
Indoors, you can project quite a large size and still retain the screen quality. Image XGIMI

With its built-in Harman-Kardon speaker it has a really decent sound. It is clear, but not too much bass, and it doesn’t go mega loud, but it is certainly loud enough for most situations. It even doubles up as a Bluetooth speaker. If you do prefer to use your own sound system, then you can connect it to your own Bluetooth speaker. I paired my Bose Soundlink speaker easily and I was able to position my own speaker behind me or by the screen to project the sound from a different direction.

You can use this unit to command ‘OK Google’ too. I’m used to using Alexa or Siri, but this is the same as other voice-assisted platforms and you can activate it by a button on the remote to command music or weather reports etc.

The impressive chic design and its lightweight projector has all of this functionality in a tidy portable unit. I would have liked it to have come with a carry pouch as standard, but of course you can buy this separately. The built-in sound and reasonable battery life means that you can use this pretty much anywhere, but as with most projectors, the darker the surrounds the better the projection.

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This model projects at 300 ANSI Lumens and it doesn’t perform too bad at all, once you shut most of the external lighting out. The colours are vibrant and there is definition in the darker tones. The image is sharp, even with a larger screen size. I was really impressed with the projection quality. The functions are quick to respond and really easy to navigate. I have been using this on my campervan holidays and it has been a game-changer.

Thanks XGIMI for creating this, just get me a case and a Netflix app and we have a near-perfect all-round projector.

Priced £439 from Amazon.co.uk

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